Safety device for mine cages, lifts, and the like



April 14, 1925.

w. F. TORRANCE SAFETY DEVICE FOR MINE CAGES, LIFTS, AND THE LIKE FiledApril 14, 1923 Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,533,575 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FORSYTH TORRANCE, OF DALMUIPJ, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNO'R F ONE-HALF TOARTHUR CLARK STEWART,

0F OLYDEBANK, SCOTLAND.

'sAFE rY nnvrcn roia Minn CAGES, rr'rs, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 14, 1923.

i "0 all 107mm it may cor morn:

Be it known that I, YVILLIAM Fonsr'rri TORRANCE, of 21 Hillview Terrace,Dalinuir,

Dumbartonshire, Scotland, engineer, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in and Connected With Safety Devices for Mine Cages, Lifts,and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to safety de vices for mine cages, lifts andthe like of the kind adapted to release the cage, lift, or the like inthe event of over-winding, and of the kind adapted to support the lift,cage, or the like, or preventit falling rapidly to the bottom of thecage shaft, or lift well should the hoisting cable be broken asunder, orthe cage, or lift be detached therefrom.

The object of this invention is to provide improvements in means of theabove character whereby the release of the cage, or lift, is assured andis effected automatically should overwinding take place, and whereby thearrest, or braking of the fall, of lift, or cage, should it becomedetached from the hoisting cable, is effected.

Under this invention, the cage, or lift, is connected with the hoistingcable by means of a hinged jaw, or equivalent device attached to thecage, or lift, and provided with a recess, or recesses, adapted toreceive an enlargement, or enlargements, on the hoisting cable, theconnection between the cable and device being maintained by a ring, orsliding member, arranged on the hinged jaw, or equivalent, device and aspring, or the like, adapted to press the ring, or member, towards theopening end of the jaw and thereby keep the same closed, and thedisconnection being eliected by a rod, linger, or the like so disposedrelatively to the hoisting means as to contactwith the ring, or member,and press it towards the hinged end of the jaw and thereby enable thejaw to open and free. the end of the hoisting cable engaged with thejaw.

Further, under this invention, the cage, or lift is provided withsuitably shaped spring actuated cams hinged, or pivoted, thereto andadapted to operate against a plate, or its equivalent, which is normallyconnected with the hoisting cable and is fitted with rollers, or otherantifriction means, for hearing against the said plate, the cams beingheld out of operation by the said plate when the cage, or lift, issuspended on the cable, and

Serial No. 632,050.

being moved to an operative braking, or engagin position with the cage,or lift, uides in the shaft, or well, by'pins when the cage, or lift,becomes detached from the h0isting engine, such as, by the cablebreaking, or the release thereof from the hinged jaw, orequivalent,device which, in this arrange ment is connected with thecage, or lift, by the said plate.

Preferably, the end of the hoisting cable is fitted with a shackle, orring, and the hinged jaw, or equivalent device, is hinged at its lowerend to the plate connected with i the cage, or lift, and comprises twocorresponding members each provided with a recess, or gap, which, whenthe jaw device is closed, are adapted to receive and retain inconnection therewith, the said shackle, or ring.

In order that my invention may be properly understood and readilycarried into effect, I have hereunto appended one sheet of drawings, ofwhich Figure 1 is an elevation of a shaft showing the cage and myimprovements applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the overwinding of the hoisting rope.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the wedgepiece as in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, S is the cage, lift or such like, A the cableor winding rope, B the hinged jaws to which the hoisting rope A isconnected through the medium of the ball arrangement A. F is theconnecting rod which is attached to the winding rope A by means of thepin E which hinges the jaws B which grip the ball A.

C is the plate which is supported by the pins I) and'which retains thejaws B in position. C is the device which arrests the plate C and shearsthe pins D thereby permitting the tension on the winding rope i1 throughthe ball A to force the jaws B open and release the connection betweenthe winding engine and the cage S.

R is the double bridle or plate attached to the top of cage or lift towhich are connected, by bolts J, two levers I, the inner end of each ofwhich has a horizontal slot through which a pin G passes and isslidable. The, pins .G connect the said levers with the member F.Between the ends of the plates R are brake blocks K. The brake blocksare connected to the outer ends of the levers by pins N Which operate ininclined slotsM with which the plates R are provided. T are the shaftguides.

In the event of overwinding or the hoisting rope breaking, the plate Ccomes into contact with the device C and shearing the pins D allows thetension on the hoisting or winding rope A, through the ball A, to forceopen the aws B and thereby release the connection between the windingengine and the cage S, as seen in Figure 3. The wedges, or brakes K areat once brought into action by the released strain upon the jaws Bcausing the wedges, or brakes K to come into contact with the shaftguides T through the action of the levers I, thereby immediatelyarresting the descent of the cage S by the friction set up between thewedges, or brakes K and the shaft guides 'l and, forcing the wedges orbrakes K tightly between the double bridle R and the shaft guides T,brings the cage S to a stand still.

Safety apparatus for lifts, comprising in combination with arrestingmeans, a liftcarried double bridle having outwardly and upwardlyinclined slots near the ends and having upwardly and outwardly inclinedbeveled ends, wedge-shaped brake blocks arranged to engage said inclinedbeveled ends, levers pivotally mounted on said double bridle, havinglongitudinal slots in their inner ends, bolts connecting said brakeblocks to the outer ends of said levers and arranged to operate in saidinclined slots, a connecting rod, bolts connecting the same to the innerends of said levers and arranged to operate in the slots of said levers,a pair of jaws pivotally connected to said connect ing rod and having asocket formed in the opposing sides of their upper ends, a cable havinga ball gripped in said socket between said jaws, a plate, and frangiblepins securing said plate to said jaws to normally hold the jaws inclosed gripping position, said plate being arranged to engage saidarrestii'ig means in the event of over-winding of the cable.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM FORSYTH 'lORR-ANCE.

lVitnesses JOHN LIDDLE, JOHN TRAIN LIDDLE.

